Will the Panthers continue their losing ways, or break out against the Eagles?

This was supposed to be the year the Carolina Panthers took a big step forward. Well, the step they've taken has been a big one, but it's in the wrong direction.

The Panthers finished 12-4 last season, the second best record in the NFC, and finished first in NFC South, but they're just 3-5-1 going into tonight's game against the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, and Carolina has lost three in a row. However, as the Eagles discovered last season, in the NFL it's all about location, location, location, and the Panthers are in the right place at the right time. Even though they're two games under .500, they're still well within striking distance in their division, behind New Orleans (4-5 after Sunday).

That's why Carolina coach Ron Rivera, a former Eagles linebackers coach under Andy Reid, said this week "We are by no means out of the race. We are looking from behind a little bit, but we are still in a good situation. Anything is possible — don't count us out.''

The Panthers' biggest problem has been their biggest star, quarterback Cam Newton. He's 27th in the NFL in passer rating (81.4) and he's completed just 57.4 percent of his passes, which is the lowest percentage of any starting QB in the league. He's also thrown for eight touchdowns and five interceptions.

But Newton does have an extra dimension the Eagles must focus on tonight — he's one of the best running quarterbacks in the game and Eagles coach Chip Kelly, while praising Newton's passing and leadership, made a special mention of that special talent.

"If guys are covered, his ability to then make something happen with his feet, I think, is what kind of sets him apart from some other guys in this league,'' Kelly said. "He's a huge challenge for us this week.''

Eagles defensive coordinator Bill Davis said Newton is similar to another running QB the Eagles faced earlier this season, San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick, who ran for 58 yards on seven attempts in the 49ers' 26-21 victory over the Eagles in Week 4.

"They're both big athletes that once the rush breaks down — even when it doesn't break down — sometimes you have everything bottled up and that big athlete breaks through because they're such great runners,'' Davis said. "They're such unique runners, when you talk about Kaepernick and Cam Newton. They're different than the other ones. They run faster, quicker, they've got some moves. So they are true runners that can throw. So, we've got to make sure that when we do put our hands on him that he comes down.''

Not all of Carolina's passing problems are Newton's fault. The Panthers decided to not re-sign veteran receiver Steve Smith after last season and that has hurt their passing game. Carolina's leading receiver, rookie Kelvin Benjamin, is 26th in the NFL in receiving, with 40 catches for 589 yards and five touchdowns. Smith, meanwhile, has caught 46 passes for 711 yards for the Baltimore Ravens.

Benjamin, a first-round pick from Florida State, does appear to be a keeper. He's third among all NFL rookies in receptions, second in yards and first in touchdowns. If he keeps up his current pace, he'll finish the season with 71 receptions for 1,047 yards and eight TDs.

"He's a guy we were very, very interested in [before the draft],'' Kelly said. "He fits kind of what we're looking for. He's a big, strong, physical guy and he's a guy we looked very hard at in the draft. I think he's talented, and I think what he's doing doesn't surprise us.''

The real star of the Panthers' passing game, however, is underrated tight end Greg Olsen, an eight-year veteran. He has 45 receptions for 539 yards and five TDs, and among NFL tight ends only New England's Rob Gronkowski has more catches (49) and yards (663). The Panthers also have veteran receiver Jason Avant, who spent the previous eight seasons with the Eagles. Avant has caught 20 passes for 193 yards and one TD.

The Panthers have historically had a strong running game, but even that has abandoned them this year. The Panthers are ranked just 26th in rushing offense and their leading ball-carrier, Jonathan Stewart, is 43rd in the NFL in rushing, with 66 carries for 263 yards, or just six more yards and nine more carries than Newton has.

Last season, the Panthers had one of the best defenses in the NFL under coordinator Sean McDermott, a Eagles assistant under Reid for 13 years. This season, the Panthers are 24th in total defense (26th vs. the run, 17th vs. the pass) and they're 31st — second to last — in third-down efficiency.

The Panthers defense is led by last year's NFL defensive player of the year, linebacker Luke Kuechly. So now, one week after playing against the best defensive end in the business in Houston's J.J. Watt, the Eagles must deal with the best linebacker in the game.

"It's the same focus,'' Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said. "Obviously, you're talking about two different type players. Luke has got more tackles than the man in the moon. He's led his team in tackles since he was a freshman in college at [Boston College], and he runs sideline to sideline extremely well. He's very instinctive. If we don't change things up he'll zero in on us and make plays, and he certainly means a great deal to their defense.''